TH 9148 
. N7 

Copy 1 


FIRE PREVENTION 


By 

WILLIAM B. NORTHROP 

Supervisor of Fire Prevention, United States War 
Department ( 1918-1919), Special Investigator, 
New York Fire Department ( 1912-1918 ) 


Copyright, 1921 
by 

William B. Northrop 


ILLUSTRATED 


Published by 

BUREAU OF FIRE PREVENTION PUBLICITY 

NEW YORK CITY 


W. B. NORTHROP, Director 








Introduction 


Upwards of 6,000 lives, according to recent stat¬ 
istics, are lost each year in fires—some figures say 
15,000 lives—but whichever estimate is correct, the 
loss is appalling. The cash loss in this country has 
been roughly estimated at $500,000,000 a year. 

The object of this little book is to bring home to 
people in a simple, direct way the lesson of fire 
prevention, and it is hoped that the information here 
gathered will be utilized in reducing our enormous 
fire loss. 

WILLIAM B. NORTHROP, 

Supervisor of Fire Prevention, 

U. S. War Department, 1918 to 1919, 

Special Investigator, New York 

Fire Department, 1912 to 1918. 


MAR 28 1921 


§)C!, AG11384 



FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


3 


AN APPEAL TO CITIZENS 

We want everybody in New York to help u« prevent fires, especially the children 
and their mothers. 

Most of our fires occur in people s homes, and they start because some member 
of the family has been careless about something. Probably matches were left 
where small children could get them and play with them, or mice could gnaw them. 
Or maybe someone was careless in handling kerosene, or benzine, or lamps or 
candles, or in putting hot ashes in the dumbwaiters, or in wooden boxes or barrels. 
Lots of fires are also caused by storing oils and paints, grease and fats in the house. 
Many other fires are caused by people allowing waste, rubbish and litter of all kinds 
to pile up in closets, cellars, attics and other places around the houses. About a 
thousand fires are caused in this city each year by people throwing away lighted 
matches, something that no prudent person would ever think of doing. The firemen 
have to respond to each one of these thousand fires, and every time they go out it is 
roughly estimated that the cost to the City for wear and tear and repairs alone is 
$50, to say nothing of the loss of the property that is burned up and the loss of lives 
that may be caused. 

Other kinds of home carelessness that cause fires are leaving greasy rags around 
where they can catch fire, using folding gas brackets, placing lace curtains near open 
gas jets where the wind can easily blow them against the flames, placing gas stoves 
on wooden tables without metal guards underneath, looking for gas leaks with 
lighted matches or candles, being careless in cooking fats over the stove, and by 
a hundred other things. 

All of these fires could be prevented if our people would only be careful. They 
are careful about these things in Europe, but our people, while they work to accumu¬ 
late property, do not take the right care to keep it from burning up. A man is a 
mighty poor citizen who doesn’t stop to think whether he is endangering life and 
property by his careless habits, and boys and girls will grow up to be the same kind of 
citizens if they do not learn prudent habits when they are young. Every boy and 
girl in New York should be a Fire Prevention Aide, and they should go home and 
tell their fathers and mothers about the things they should do to prevent fires and 
they should see that the bad conditions which cause fires are removed. 

We talk a great deal about conserving our mines and forests in the West, where 
the country is not yet built up. That is fine, but we should also learn to conserve 
our wealth and property, and, what is more, the lives of the people, from fire in 
our built-up communities. 

Just think that every year about 2,000 lives are lost in fires, and about 6,000 per¬ 
sons are injured besides. The families of all these people who are killed and injured 
have to suffer. It costs us in this country about $500,000,000 a year to furnish 
Fire Departments to fight fires and to cover the loss to property from fires, and to 





4 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


pay other expenses connected with them. We all have to pay part of this big sum 
of money even though we do not have a fire in our houses at all. Every family of 
five persons has to pay $12.50 a year as their share of this loss—$2.50 apiece. In 
Europe the people are so careful about fires that it costs them only about 50 cents 
apiece to pay their firemen and to cover all their fire losses in a year. Our cash fire 
loss in America is $600,000 a day $25,000 an hour, $416 a minute. That is a terrible 
waste of property. 

All that people need to prevent most of these fires is a little common sense and 
caution. The teachers in the schools can do more than any one class to help us. 
We are asking that they teach the children in the schools every day the rudimentary 
idea of fire prevention and keep drilling it into their minds until the daily practice 
of fire prevention rules becomes second nature with them. If the children are 
strongly enough imbued with the idea of Fire Prevention they will take what they 
learn home to their parents. I ask each and every teacher in the Public Schools to 
take a serious interest in this work. 

I hope particularly that the teachers will take pains to interest the children in 
this subject. A great deal of care has been spent on the preparation of this book 
by Mr. Northrop and Dr. Straubenmuller. They have sought especially to make 
the subject interesting to the children. I know that by earnest teaching of what 
is contained in this book the teachers can help us to prevent hundreds, perhaps 
thousands of fires next year, and thousands of fires every year to come. 




Fire Commissioner. 




FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


5 


CHAPTER I 

FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS FOR USE IN THE SCHOOLS 
OF NEW YORK CITY 

(NOTE TO THE TEACHER: These lessons may be either in the form of 
questions and answers, or the Teacher may read the lessons to the children consecu¬ 
tively; or dictation may be given from the information supplied.) 

FIRES—GENERAL STATEMENT 

Question: Tell all you know about fire, from early times down to today? Answer: 
In early times, fire was the one thing which helped human beings to live, and 
be different from all other living creatures. Without fire, no one could have 
stood the cold, or kept off wild animals. Men had no way of making fire at 
first except by rubbing sticks together till they became so hot they broke into 
a blaze. After that, they learned to make fire by striking sparks from stones, 
such as flint. Some nations worshipped fire as a sort of God. From being used 
simply to keep people warm and to keep off wild animals, fire was used to cook 
food. After that, it was used by inventors to help people go from one place to 
another, and for making steam to drive locomotives and boats. Today fire is 
one of our most useful things. It does our cooking, makes gas and electricity, 
keeps us warm, runs machinery; if we had no fire, we could not live in the world 
at all. 

Question: Can a thing which is so useful become dangerous? Answer: Yes; 
when it gets beyond our control. Then, instead of helping us, it can do us 
a great deal of harm. It can burn up and destroy whole cities, and great 
forests. It causes each year the death and injury of many people. 

Question: What are some of the main causes of fire doing harm instead of good? 

Answer: When people are careless in handling fire, and when they leave 
rubbish, piles of paper, excelsior, boxes, and such things around, so that fires 
can get a good start in case a match, or light, should fall upon these rubbish 
piles. 

Question: How can most fires be prevented? Answer: By everyone being 
careful not to do anything that might cause a fire. Children should never play 
with matches and no one should leave piles of rubbish about. All places, 
especially cellars, and dark corners and closets, should be kept clean and no 
piles of old newspapers or other rubbish left around. 



6 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


Question: Do harmful fires destroy much property in the United States? 
Answer: Yes; they do more harm here than in any other country in the world. 
Our great forest fires burn up millions of dollars worth of property every year, 
and destroy the lumber from which thousands of houses would be built. Then, 
the great fires in our cities cause more loss in one year than all the money 
spent on the Panama Canal in 10 years. In this country, each person has 
to pay $2.50 each year on account of fires. In a family of five persons, they 
have to pay $12.50. Instead of having that much money to spend at Christ¬ 
mas time they have to spend that money on fires. In Europe it costs each 
person for fires only about 50 cents a year. Besides the Buildings and forests 
which are destroyed, people have to pay money for the expenses of Fire Depart¬ 
ments, Water Departments, and things of that kind; for which they would not 
have to pay so much if they did not have so many fires. 



Children Starting Bonfire in Lot Next to Fence and Frame Building. Many 
Lives Are Lost in This Way. 













FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


7 


CHAPTER II 
MATCHES 

Question: How did people first come to use matches? Answer: In the early 
days before 1827 they had thin strips of pine wood dipped in sulphur; they were 
called “brimstone ’ matches. To light them, a spark was struck from a stone 
or flint. People also used to carry around with them what was called a “light¬ 
box , which was a box that had some acid in it. When they dipped the match 
sticks into the lightbox, the sticks caught on fire by meanr of the acid. It 
was hard to get a fire started on a match in those days. 

Question: What was the next kind of a match that came into use? Answer: 
After the brimstone match they had the “Lucifer” match. To strike this match 
you had to carry around with you a piece of sand paper to rub the match on. 
They were very poor matches compared to those we have now-a-days. The 
first really good match was made in 1836. Alonzo Phillips, of Springfield, 
Mass., invented it. This match was something like the match we use today, 
only it used to cause lots of fires, because sparks would fly off the head. 

Question: Why does a match burn? Answer: Because the head of the match 
has phosphorus, or sulphur, in it, phosphorus being a peculiar substance that 
lights very easily. There is also in the match chlorate of potash, rosin, whiting 
and powdered flint held together by glue. When the match is rubbed against 
anything the phosphorus, or sulphur, blazes up and the stick of the match 
catches on fire. 

Question: Why doesn’t a safety match go off when it is rubbed against anything 
except the box? Answer: Because there is neither sulphur nor phosphorus 
in the head of the safety match. The phosphorus is on the box. 

Question: Is it harmful to leave ordinary matches around? Answer: Yes; be¬ 
cause they cause many fires. They should be placed in metal boxes. Matches 
should never be played with. They should never be struck for “fun”. Every 
year many children are burned to death while playing with matches. 

Question: Is it safe to use matches out of doors to make bonfires with? Answer: 
No; children should not make bonfires, even in empty lots; because the dry 
grasses and sparks often spread the flames which set fire to fences, sheds, 
shingle roofs and houses are burned down. The sparks fly about on a windy 
day and make fires even a long way off. Sometimes children make fires right 
in the street—on the asphalt. This melts the asphalt and makes holes in the 
streets and poor horses break their legs. Besides, it costs the parents of the 
children money to have to repair the streets. 

Question: What is the best kind of match to use? Answer: The “Safety” 
match; because it will not go off unless it is rubbed on the box. But even 






Lighted Candles on 
Christmas Trees 
Cause Many Fires 
and Much Loss of 
Life, Converting 
Many Happy Homes 
Into Scenes of 
Mourning. Don’t 
Use Candles or In¬ 
flammable Decora¬ 
tions on or Near 
Christmas Trees. 
Tiny Electric Lights 
Are Best. 



Child Playing With Matches—Building Fire in Toy Stove—Flames About 
to Set Fire to Window Curtains—Don’t Play With Matches. 







FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


9 


safety matches should not be used by children. Children should not carry 
matches in their pockets. 

Question: How should we strike a match? Answer: Hold the box in your left 
hand, and then take out one match. Close the box before striking the match; 
otherwise the whole box of matches might catch on fire. Do not rub the 
match towards you when you strike it, as sometimes the head flies off and sets 
fire to the clothing. Try to get your parents and persons in your house to strike 
matches properly. 

Question: What should be done with a match when we are finished with it? 

Answer: It should never be thrown away lighted, but the burnt match should 
be put where it can do no harm. Throwing lighted matches away is the cause 
of many dreadful fires. Grown people are very careless with lighted matches. 
They should never be thrown out of windows, for they fall on awnings and set 
fire to them. If you see a lighted match on the stairs or in the street, put it out. 

Question: Why is it dangerous to leave matches around? Answer: Because 
if they are not put in the box, they are likely to fall on the floor, where people 
step on them and start fires. Besides, mice or rats will carry them down into 
holes in the floor. These animals are very fond of the heads of matches and 
will gnaw them to sharpen their teeth. This sets the matches off and they 
cause terrible fires in between the floor beams of the house. Matches should 
always be put in metal receptacles. This refers to “strike any where” matches only. 

Question: Is it wrong to use matches with which to look in dark closets or cup¬ 
boards for lost articles, or to carry matches into cellars to look for things? 
Answer: Many firess are caused by people using matches to look for things 
in closets, cupboards and cellars. When one match goes out they throw the 
burnt match down and strike another. This should never be done. Only 
grown folks should look for things in the dark, and they should use a safe 
lantern. A candle should not be carried into a cellar or a closet. 

Question: How should matches be handled? Answer: With great care, and 
never as a plaything by children. Children make a lot of fires themselves 
by their habit of playing with matches. A match is one of our most useful 
things, but it is a very dangerous enemy if handled carelessly. 

Question: Are many lives lost each year from children playing with matches? 
Answer: Yes many little children die from this habit, and thousands of pretty 
homes are burnt up just because children take matches out of the box and 
strike them “to see them light up,” or else to make fires “just for fun”; even 
bonfires in the street and in open lots are very dangerous, because they set fire 
to the clothing. Many poor firemen every year lose their lives, or are severely 
injured, because children play with matches. 

DON’T PLAY WITH MATCHES. 

DON’T LOOK UPON FIRE AS A TOY. 

IT IS A GOOD THING IF USED CAREFULLY, BUT A TER¬ 
RIBLE DESTROYING MONSTER WHEN HANDLED CARE¬ 
LESSLY. 




A Fruitful Cause of Many 
Fires — Gas Brackets Near 
Window Curtains—Don’t Have 
Gas Brackets Close to Win¬ 
dows, So That the Wind 
Can Blow the Curtains Across 
the Lighted Jet. All Gas 
Brackets Should Be Protected 
With Globes. 


Gas Stove Placed Just Be¬ 
neath Window Curtains — A 
Highly Dangerous Condition. 
Stoves and Gas Brackets 
Should Not Be Near Window 
Curtains. Such Conditions 
Cause Many Fires. 









FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


11 


CHAPTER III 


CELLARS 

Question: Why are fires in cellars more dangerous than in other places ? Answer: 
The proper place for a fire in the cellar is in the furnace only. In any other part 
of the cellar it is extremely dangerous, because it usually spreads up through 
the dumbwaiter shaft or stairway and spreads fire all through the building. 
A cellar fire spreads more rapidly than any other kind of fire. 

Question: What causes fires in cellars? Answer: Because people do not keep 
their cellars nice and clean. They leave piles of rubbish all round. All 
rubbish, old newspapers, broken boxes,' excelsior, old bedding, and all such 
things should be removed from cellars. These piles of things cause lots of fires. 
Old greasy rags should not be left in cellars, because they start fires by them¬ 
selves, without even having any match to set them off. 

Question: Where is the most dangerous place in a cellar for such piles of rubbish 
to be? Answer: Near the dumbwaiter shaft, because the door of the dumb¬ 
waiter is very often left open, and if a fire start in such a pile, it spreads right 
up through the house. 

Question: What should be placed in cellars? Answer: Only such useful things 
as are absolutely necessary. Even furniture should not be stored there. 
Nothing should be put in the cellar that can make, or cause, a fire. The danger 
of these piles of things is, that some one may drop a match among them and a 
bad fire will be started. Children should try to see to it that their cellars are 
kept nice and clean. Try to keep the cellars looking neat, and tell your neigh¬ 
bors to keep their cellars clean. Rubbish under cellar stairs is very dangerous. 

Question: What should we do with dumbwaiter doors in cellars? Answer: See 
that they are always kept closed. If the dumbwaiter door is kept closed and 
there is a fire in the cellar in one of the rubbish piles, the smoke and flame will 
not spread up through the house. Do not allow delivery boys to tie the dumb¬ 
waiter doors back, and if you are living in a house where there is a janitor, ask 
him please to keep these dumbwaiter doors closed. The doors should be lined 
with tin on both sides, so that they will not catch fire. 

Question: How should we keep ashes in cellars? Answer: They should be 
kept in metal boxes or cans. They should never be put in wooden boxes, 
because the hot ashes have little particles of unbumed coal in them which set 
fire to the sides of the wooden box, and burn down the building. 

KEEP YOUR CELLARS CLEAN—ALSO HAVE THEM WHITE¬ 
WASHED. GET RID OF RUBBISH. DON’T PUT HOT 
ASHES IN WOODEN BOXES. KEEP DUMBWAITER DOORS 
CLOSED. 





Dangerous Cellar Condition—Rubbish and Excelsior Ready to Start Blaze. 


kindling Wood and Rubbish Beneath Cellar Steps-ABad Fire Hazard. A Fire 
Here Would Extend Through House. 





FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


13 


CHAPTER IV 
KEROSENE OIL LAMPS 

Question: Is it dangerous to use oil lamps? Answer: They are not as safe 
as electric lights, but are not especially dangerous if they are used properly. 
They should never be filled with a poor grade of kerosene oil. They should not 
be filled when they are lighted, nor after dark, nor when they are a few feet 
away from a light. 

Question: What should be done with lamp wicks? Answer: Before you put 
a wick in a lamp you ought to see that it fits well in the tube—that there is no 
space on either side of the wick. Otherwise, the vapor from the oil might 
cause the lamp to explode. All wicks should fit snugly in the burners. All 
parts of the burner and of the lamp should be kept clean, and bright, and the 
wick should always be in good condition, and well covered with oil. 

Question: Are dirty burners dangerous? Answer: Yes they frequently cause 
explosions in lamps; especially those that are made of glass. Glass lamps are 
more dangerous than metal lamps, as they are likely to break if they fall off 
the table. 

Question: Has keeping lamps clean anything to do with preventing fires in them? 

Answer: Yes; cleanliness has a great deal to do with preventing fires from 

lamps, just as it has much to do with preventing other kinds of fires. If lamps 
are kept bright and clean and the wicks fit the burners we would have very few 
fires from this cause. 

Question: How should oil lamps, or oil burning lamps, be handled? Answer: 
Great care should be taken that oil lamps rest flat upon the table. See that 
nothing is under them that might tilt them over. They should not be put near 
the edge of the table, nor on the mantle shelf where they may be struck, or 
knocked over. 

Question: When should lamps be filled? Answer: Only in the morning, or in 
the daytime. 

Question: What causes most fires with oil lamps? Answer: Filling them after 
dark when they are lighted, or filling them near a light after dark. Wicks 
that are not in good condition also cause fires. Leaving lamps near the edges 
of tables or on mantle shelves where they are easily knocked over, Don’t blow 
out lamps when the flame is full size. Turn the wick down low first. 

Question: Has the kind of oil that is used anything to do with the dangers from 
lamps? Answer: Only the best oil should be used. The very cheap kinds 
of oil explode quite easily. They are very dangerous, because they contain 
gasolene and naphtha. 






Putting Hot Ashes in Wooden Boxes Causes Many Fires in Homes—Note in 
Above Photo Rubbish and Paint Cans Near Wooden Partitions in Cellar. 


Fir. Escapes Littered and Obstructed With Clothing and Rubbish— Blocking 
Fire Escapes Is the Cause of Much Loss of Life. 





FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


15 


Question: How is kerosene oil made ? Answer: It is pumped up from the ground 
in the form of what is called petroleum, which is very thick and black. This 
petroleum is heated and changed into vapor like steam. This vapor is cooled 
till it becomes a liquid. Some of the liquid is even more dangerous than kero¬ 
sene and is called gasolene. Some of the liquid is kerosene. It is just like 
a kettle boiling on a stove, with steam coming out of the spout. When the petro¬ 
leum is heated—like the water in the kettle—it turns into vapor like steam 
from the kettle, and this vapor goes into a tube, where it is cooled and turns 
into liquids which are known as gasolene, benzine, naphtha and other oils that 
burn quickly. 

Question: What causes a lamp to explode? Answer: Usually the lamp becomes 
so hot near the burner that the oil is turned into a vapor, like steam. If the wick 
does not fit the burner well, the flame will flash down into this vapor and cause 
an explosion. Cheap oil turns into this explosive vapor much more quickly 
than good oil, and that is why it is so dangerous to use poor oil. 

NEVER FILL A LAMP WHILE IT IS LIGHTED. 

USE ONLY GOOD OIL. 

SEE THAT THE WICKS FIT THE BURNERS. 

SEE THAT THE BURNERS FIT THE LAMPS. 

KEEP THE LAMPS NICE AND CLEAN. 

DO NOT PUT LAMPS IN PLACES WHERE THEY ARE LIKELY 
TO BE KNOCKED OVER. 




16 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


CHAPTER V 

FIRES IN STOVES 

Question: How should a fire be made in a stove? Answer: In the first place 
see that the stove is nice and clean, and that the chimney flue is not full of soot. 
Cleanliness is the first thing needed to prevent fires from being dangerous; 
because even the fire in the kitchen stove can get beyond control and burn 
down the house. 

Question: What is the next step? Answer: Build the fire up with wood which 
is quite dry and never put too much coal on at first, or at any time. Do not 
fill the stove with coal and wood so that it becomes red hot. This is a great 
danger. Do not let the chimney or stove-pipe get too hot. 

Question: If the fire does not burn quickly, what should be done ? Answer: This 
is because the stove is choked up, probably with too much paper, wood or coal. 
Some people pour kerosene oil on the fire to give it a start. This should never 
be done. It causes many fires and explosions. Fires should not be started 
with anything but paper, or else dry wood that will burn quickly. 

Question: What should never be done in starting a fire. Answer: We should 
never use kerosene oil. 

Question: When wood is wet, should we put it in the oven over night to dry? 

Answer: No. This is a very dangerous thing to do, because the wood may 
catch on fire by itself during the night, and either start a fire in the kitchen 
while people are asleep, or suffocate them with the smoke. Wood should be 
dried in the daytime, and should never be put in the oven or behind the stove. 

Question: What should we do with a stove that smokes? Answer: We should 
see if the stove-pipe, or the chimney, is clean. When a stove smokes, it is 
in a dangerous condition, for the gases from the smoke may cause an explosion. 
Stoves also smoke because the fires in them have not been properly built. 

Question: How should we protect parlor and bedroom stoves so that they will 
not set fire to things? Answer: These stoves should be at least three feet 
away from anything that will burn, and upon the wall next to the stove should 
be a metal sheet of bright tin, with an inch air space behind it. This will 
prevent the walls from getting hot. The bottom of the stoves should be eight 
inches above the floor. Underneath the stoves should be metal sheets to 
prevent the floor from catching fire. These metal sheets should stick out in 
front far enough to catch any hot coals and ashes. 

Question: Should we hang clothes or washing over the kitchen stove to dry? 
Answer: This should never be done, because the string, or clothes-line, is likely 
to break and drop the clothes on a hot stove. Many fires are caused by this. 

Question: Should stoves that have cracks in them be used? Answer: It is 
very dangerous to use stoves with cracks in them, because the cracks are likely 
to widen out and let the coals fall upon the floor. 




Starting a Kitchen Stove Fire With Kerosene Oil — Many Lives Are Lost Each 
Year Through This Dangerous Habit. 



Hanging Clothes to Dry Over Kitchen Stove—Note Apron Strings Over 
Kettle in Position to Catch Fire. 











18 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


CHAPTER VI 

GAS STOVES, GAS LEAKS, ETC. 

Question: Are gas stoves dangerous to use? Answer: Not if they are properly 
used. It is very important to keep them nice and clean, so that any greasy 
substances that might fall on top of them should not catch on fire. 

Question: How should they be placed in the kitchen? Answer: They should 
stand away from the wall, and there should be a metal sheet on the wall—bright 
tin is the best—to keep the heat away from the wall. The tin sheet should 
have an air space behind it. 

Question: How should we light the gas stove? We should strike the match 
first, and then turn on the gas. Some people turn on the gas, and then look 
for a match, leaving the gas pouring out. This may cause an explosion. 

Question: Are the ovens of gas stoves dangerous if not lighted properly? Answer: 
Yes; if we let them get full of gas before lighting them they may cause an explo¬ 
sion and often a serious fire. The gas should not be turned on before the match 
is struck, and the door should be wide open at the time of lighting. 

Question: Are the ovens dangerous when ordinary cooking is being done? 
Answer: Sometimes the meat in the oven will catch fire, and when it does 
we should not pour water upon it to put it out, but use a few handfuls of salt. 
If you throw water on a fire in which there is grease, the lighted grease will 
splash out, and set fire to nearby things. 

Question: If the gas stove leaks what should we do? Answer: Do not strike 
a match where there is any leak of gas. Open all the windows first to let the 
gas out, and them carefully close all the little handles on the gas stove. If 
you strike a match before letting the gas out of the room, you might blow up 
the house and kill everybody in it. 



FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


19 


CHAPTER VII 
GAS LEAKS 

Question: If there is a gas leak in the cellar what should we do? Answer: We 
should open all the windows and doors in the cellar and let the gas out. When 
there is no more “smell of gas,” we should look for the gas leak by feeling near 
the gas pipe to see if the gas might be turned on. We should never strike a 
match where there is a gas leak, or take a candle to look for it. 

Question: If there is a strong smell of gas in a house, or cellar, what should we do? 

Answer: Open all the windows and doors and notify the gas company at 
once. Do not attempt to look for the leak with a light. 

Question: If there is a light in the next room to where there is a gas leak, what 
should we do? Answer: If we cannot reach the light to put it out, we should 
immediately close the door between the rooms. It would be better, of course, 
to put out the light; but close the door anyway. 

Question: How should small gas stoves and rings be handled? Answer: They 
should never be placed on a wooden table unless there is a metal sheet under¬ 
neath them. Rubber tubes should not be used, as they crack and let the gas 
escape. If you have small ring stoves, put a metal sheet under them and have 
them properly put up with regular iron gas pipe. Dont’ use flexible iron tubes. 

Question: Do gas stoves require more care and watchfulness than other stoves? 
Answer: Gas stoves should never be left for any length of time while lighted, 
as the wind may blow them out; or the gas may be turned off in the street; and 
then when it is turned on again the gas will leak. You must watch a gas stove 
very carefully, and do not turn it so low that it is likely to go out. 

Question: When are gas brackets in rooms dangerous? Answer: When the 
brackets are of the folding kind, which are likely to be pressed up against the 
wall, and set fire to it, if the gas is lighted. Folding gas brackets should not 
be used. 

Question: How should gas brackets be placed in a room? Answer: Away from 
the window so that they cannot be near curtains. Many accidents and fires 
occur because lace curtains blow over lighted gas jets. Gas jets should have 
wire globes on them if they are near any place—such as the cellar—where 
articles are likely to fall into them. In rooms where people live they should 
always have glass globes. 

Question: Should we burn gas as a “night light”? Answer: It is very danger¬ 
ous to burn gas all night, as it is usually turned very low and is likely to go out. 





20 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


Besides, if it should be turned off in the street main, and then turned on again 
it would kill people either by explosion when a light was struck, or by suffoca¬ 
tion—that is, breathing the gas fumes, which are very poisonous. 

DON’T BE CARELESS IN LIGHTING GAS STOVES. 

DON’T LOOK FOR A GAS LEAK WITH A LIGHT. 

DON’T PUT GAS STOVES OR RINGS ON TABLES UNLESS THEY 
HAVE METAL SHEETS UNDER THEM. 

DON’T USE FOLDING GAS BRACKETS. 

DON’T HAVE GAS BRACKETS NEAR WINDOWS OR LACE 
CURTAINS. 

DON’T BURN GAS ALL NIGHT AS A “NIGHT LIGHT.” 

DON’T TURN THE GAS SO LOW THAT IT WILL GO OUT AND 
CAUSE JA DANGEROUS LEAK. 



FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


21 


CHAPTER VIII 

GAS IRONS, IRONING BOARDS, FLIMSY CLOTH, ETC. 

Question: Is it dangerous to use gas irons? Answer: Not if they are properly 
handled. The match should be lighted before the gas is turned on in the iron 
so as not to cause an explosion. The iron should have a metal iron rest on 
which to put the hot irons. Ironing boards are often set on fire by having hot 
irons placed on them. Some gas irons are dangerous. Only irons approved 
by the Fire Department should be used. 

Question: Are there any dangers from ironing boards? Answer: Yes; the 
ironing boards are usually covered with old blankets or other cloth, and hot 
irons are left standing on them. The cloth becomes heated and sometimes 
catches on fire. Sometimes a spark will get in through a hole in the ironing 
board and this will set the board on fire, even after it is put away. 

Question: What kind of cloths is it dangerous to iron? Answer: Flannelette, 
cotton, muslin and calico catch fire very quickly. If you are wearing any 
clothing made of these materials you should be very careful when you go 
near a fire. Never lean over a stove if you have flannelette clothing on. 
Hot irons should not be left near flannelette clothing or near flimsy cloth. 





22 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


CHAPTER IX 

GREASY RAGS AND SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION 

Question: Do fires ever start without people making them? Answer: There is 
a very curious sort of fire with a long name called “spontaneous combustion.” 
It will start in old greasy rags which have been left by themselves in a warm 
place. Therefore, we should never leave old greasy rags around. They 
should be kept in a metal box, or burned up immediately after use. Many 
strange fires are caused by greasy rags left around. 

Question: Are rags with which furniture is polished dangerous: Answer: 
Yes, if they are left around carelessly. The furniture polish is greasy and 
often contains turpentine and other things which cause fires. These rags 
should be kept in a box by themselves, and the box should be a tin one or 
metal of some kind. 

Question: Why is it dangerous to leave greasy rags about? Answer: Because 
they will start a fire by themselves without anybody lighting them. All piles 
of greasy rubbish of any kind should be cleaned up immediately. 

Question: Is it dangerous to have paints and oils about the house? Answer: 
They should be kept in metal cans and in a cool place. All rags and cloths 
with which paints have been wiped out should be burned immediately after 
use. Rags with paint on them will catch fire by themselves. Oily rags of this 
kind should not even be put in the dust bin, but should be kept by them¬ 
selves and destroyed. If not burned up at once, they should be put in metal 
boxes with lids on them. 



FIRE PRE VEN TI ON*LESSONS 


23 


CHAPTER X 

NAPHTHA, GASOLINE, ETC. 

Question: What do they use gasoline and naphtha in the home for? Answer: 
For cleaning gloves, clothing and other things. Gasoline is often used for 
cleaning beds. 

Question: What should we do when we use naphtha, gasoline, benzine and 
such things? Answer: Keep them away fron any fire or light. These sub¬ 
stances give off a vapor which will travel right across a room and cause a 
terrible explosion. 

Question: Can we use any other thing in the place of these dangerous sub¬ 
stances? Answer: Yes; carbon tetrachloride is a very good substitute for 
them. It is quite safe. Ask your druggist for it. 

Question: How far away should a light be from us when we are using benzine, 
gasoline or naphtha? Answer: Cleaning with, or using these substances, 
should only be done in the day time—never at night. There should be no light 
in the room except daylight. The vapor from naphtha and benzine has been 
known to travel 200 feet and cause an explosion. When we have finished using 
these substances they should not be poured down the sink, but back into the 
bottle. 

Question: If we wish to throw benzine, naphtha, gasoline, etc., away what should 
we do? Answer: They should be poured out upon the ground. 

Question: What happens if we pour them down the sink? Answer: Being oily 
they rest upon the surface of the water and rise in the pipes where they give 
off a vapor. When a match is struck near the sink they cause an explosion. 
They sometimes also blow up the sewer. 

Question: What should we do in using gasoline, naphtha or benzine? Answer: 
Only small quantities should be used at a time. The can or bottle from which 
we are using it should be kept corked immediately after use. The can or bottle 
should not be allowed near an open flame, or light. 

Question: Is it dangerous to use gasoline in the home for cleaning? Answer: 
Yes, this is very dangerous. If it is used the windows should be kept open and 
there should be no light or fire in the room. It is far safer not to use it at all. 

Question: What should we do with clothing or other things when they have been 
cleaned with naphtha, benzine or gasoline? Answer: They should be hung 
out doors, never in the house. They should never be brought back into the 
house till the smell of naphtha, benzine or gasoline has gone. 




24 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


Question: Is it dangerous to use furniture or stove polish that contains naphtha, 
benzine or gasoline? Answer: This polish should never be used on stoves 
that are warm, or in any place where there is a fire. When buying stove 
polishes ask whether they contain naphtha, benzine or gasoline. If they do, 
don’t buy them. 

Question: Is it dangerous to use insecticides? Answer: Those which contain 
inflammable substances, or which give off explosive vapors, should not be 
used. They cause many fires and explosions. Don’t buy insecticides without 
first making inquiries. 



Naphtha Can Near Hot Iron—Naphtha, Benzine, Gasoline, &c., Should Not 
Be Used Near Open Light or Fire. 











FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


25 


CHAPTER XI 

CHRISTMAS TREE AND 4TH-0F-JULY FIRES 
• 

Question: Should Christmas trees be lighted with candles? Answer: Lighted 
candles on Christmas trees should not be used. The trees become very dry, 
and the candles are liable to fall over, or melt down. Many deaths have been 
caused by Christmas trees catching fire from lighted candles. 

Question: What should be employed instead? Answer: Tiny electric lights 
are much prettier and can now be bought very cheaply. 

Question: Are the decorations on the Christmas trees dangerous? Answer: 
Most of these decorations are of cotton, or paper, or other material that burns 
very easily. Tissue paper or inflammable ornaments should not be used. 

Question: What should be used instead of flimsy decorations? Answer: There 
are very pretty decorations for Christmas trees made out of asbestos, which 
is a substance that will not take fire. You can buy nice Christmas “snow” 
made of mineral wool, or asbestos fibre. It is much prettier than the cotton 
decorations and perfectly safe. 

Question: Are there more fires on 4th of July than any other day? Answer: 
There usually are. These fires are caused mostly by fireworks and bonfires. 

Question: Can the 4th of July be celebrated without fireworks? Answer: There 
have been so many‘deaths and fires on 4th of July in recent years that many 
people are now trying to celebrate the day without using fireworks. 

Question: How many people were killed and injured during the last ten years 
up to 1912? Answer: Nearly 40,000 persons have been killed or injured in 
4th of July fires in the last ten years. 

Fireworks should not be used at any time, and bonfires should not be built 
on the 4th of July, or any other time. 

Question: What should not be done on the 4th of July? Answer: We should 
decide not to play with matches, make bonfires, or use fireworks. Many poor 
firemen are burned to death and injured in 4th of July fires, horses are fright¬ 
ened by the fireworks, and run away and kill people; explosions from fire 
crackers put out people’s eyes, or injure them for life. 



26 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


CHAPTER XII 

FIRE PREVENTION IN FACTORIES AND HOMES 
A GENERAL REVIEW 

Question: How did Fire Prevention first start in this country? Answer: Fire 
Prevention in this country started in the New England cotton mills many 
years ago 1835. A man named Zacariah Allen, who owned large cotton 
factories made a study of why these factories were constantly burning down. 

Question: What did Mr. Allen find? Answer: He discovered that the reasons 
the buildings burned down so quickly was because the walls were not thick 
enough, and the beams supporting the walls and floors were not strong enough. 
He also found that the buildings were not divided by a sufficient number of 
brick walls, or partitions; which would have stopped the spread of fire, or kept 
it in one place. 

Question: What else did he find? Answer: Mr. Allen found that a great deal 
of clippings, pieces of cotton, rubbish, dust and waste were allowed to remain 
on the floor of the factories. If a little fire started in some of this waste, or 
rubbish, it spread all through the building. 

Question: What did he do with reference to this waste and rubbish? Answer: 
He made his factory employees put all their waste, clippings, rubbish and dust 
in metal boxes. He made them keep the floors nice and clean. 

Question: What did he do with greasy rags? Answer: He always had them 
burned up right away, or put them in boxes lined with metal, and with lids 
to them. 

Question: Why did he do this about greasy rags? Answer: So that the rags 
would not catch on fire and burn up by themselves. 

Question: What did he do about matches and lanterns? Answer: He saw that 
matches were kept in metal boxes, and he made the watchmen in the buildings 
keep their lanterns nice and clean. He never allowed anyone to fill lanterns or 
lamps at night. 

Question: What did he do about his buildings? Answer: He had the buildings 
made with thick walls and heavy floor beams, and with plenty of brick par¬ 
titions separating one factory room from another, with self-closing doors in 
these walls. 

Question: What was the most important fact which Mr. Allen brought out? 

Answer: That buildings, if properly put up. can prevent fires from taking 



FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


27 


place in them, or spreading so as to cause great loss of life and property. That 
is if the walls and chimneys are built correctly, and if there are dividing walls 
so that the fire cannot spread; if the floors have no holes or open spaces, by 
which fire might go from one floor to another, and if steps are taken to see that 
people employed in the building can get out of them through the proper exits 
in case of fire. 

Question: Did Mr. Allen give his attention to other matters besides putting up 
proper buildings and seeing that they were kept clean? Answer: Yes, he 
caused inventors to make fire doors and other things which prevent the spread 
of, and put out, fires. 

Question: What particular invention came out of these efforts of Mr. Allen? 

Answer: The automatic sprinkler. 

Question: What is the automatic sprinkler? Answer: It is a sort of faucet which 
is placed along the ceilings of buildings and connected with water pipes in such 
a way that if a fire starts the faucet will be turned on by the fire. It has a 
sprinkler part called the “head”, which holds the water back, until certain 
parts of the head, called struts, are melted by the fire. When the fire melts 
these parts, the water is turned loose and spreads out all over the fire. A 
small sprinkler head will cover a circle 12 feet wide. 

Question: Has the automatic sprinkler been useful? Answer: Yes; it has put 
out thousands of fires by itself. 

Question: How does the sprinkler get its water? Answer: There are big tanks 
on the roof and the water is always ready to flow with great force. 

Question: Where are sprinklers mostly used? Answer: in factories, depart¬ 
ment stores, theatres, warehouses, and other places where fire is likely to 
occur and where human life is in danger. 

Question: What else is important with reference to factories besides building 
construction and keeping them clean? Answer: That there should be no 
smoking in them. Many fires in factories are caused by smoking, and throwing 
away lighted matches and cigarettes. 

Question: Is it necessary to have good exits in all factory buildings hotels 
theatres and such places? Answer: Yes, this is most important, and all 
persons who work in such places should learn just where the doors and fire 
escapes lead to. All exits should be plainly marked and all fire escapes should 
be easy to go down in case of fire. 

Question: What are some of the principal ways in which fires in factories can be 
prevented? Answer: First, proper building construction; second, cleaning 
up rubbish and waste and putting them in metal bins or boxes; third, having 
no greasy rags, paints, oils or other matters about; fourth, proper care of 
matches, fires and lights; fifth, no smoking. 





Fire Prevention Inspector Ordering “Clean Up” of Rubbish in a Factory 



Bad Dumb-Waiter Fire Hazard. 
The Shaft is Piled With Rubbish 
and Papers—The Door is off 
Hinges. Fires Which Start in 
Dumb-Waiters Spread Rapidly 
Throughout Buildings, the Shaft 
Acting as a Flue. Dumb-Waiter 
Doors Should Be Kept Closed. 










FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


29 


HOW TO PREVENT FIRES IN HOMES 

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY OF 
PREVENTING FIRES IN THE HOME? Answer: 

First, careful use of matches; children not to 
play with them; always keep them in a metal 
box with a lid to it; it is best to use safety 
matches. 

Second, be careful with lamps, gas jets, candles 
and all lights; never start fires with kerosene 
oil; never fill lamps at night. 

Third, clean up all rubbish piles and keep the 
cellars clean, especially near the dumbwaiter 
shafts; keep dumbwaiter shafts closed. 

Fourth, do not have window curtains near jets 
or lamps; or use folding gas brackets. 



30 


FIRE PREVENTION LESSONS 


WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE 

Question: What is the first thing to do in case there is a fire near us or in the same 
room? Answer: The first thing to do is to notify the Fire Department. 
We should try to be very quiet and cool; not to get excited. Our first thought 
should be of other people, and we should behave ourselves in such a way as not 
to alarm them. In fires more lives are lost from panics than from any other 
reason. 

Question: If we are in a theatre or moving picture show what should we do? 

Answer: The first thing is to keep very cool and to see where the nearest exit 
is. In trying to get to this exit we should let those in front of us go ahead. If 
we think of others first and not ourselves, we will be sure to be taken care of. 
We should always try to help others first. 

Question: What is the first thing to learn in going to stay in a strange building? 
Answer: We should find out where the exits and fire escapes are, so that if 
there was a fire we could easily get away and teach others how to get away. 

Question What is the best thing to do if we are in a school? Answer: Keep 
still and wait for orders. 

Question: What should we do in a fire drill? Answer: Keep cool, and listen 
attentively to orders; march quietly and quickly, keeping step with our com¬ 
panions. 

Question: What should we do in public places such as Moving Picture Shows, 
Theatres Lecture Halls and such places? Answer: Look around first and 
learn where the nearest exit is to our seats. In case of a fire, or panic, we should 
walk, not run, to that exit and should not try to reach it before those in front 
of us. 






SOME DON’TS FOR FIRE PREVENTION 

DON T allow children to play with matches. 

DON’T block the fire escapes. 

DON T fail to inspect your own home, or the place where you 
work, so as to know where all the fire exits are. 

DON T throw away lighted matches, cigars or cigarettes. 

DON’T go into dark closets, bedrooms or cellars with lighted 
candles or matches. 

DON T use kerosene to light fires with, or use benzine or 
naphtha near open flames. 

DON’T fill kerosene lamps when lighted. 

DON’T use a poor quality of kerosene oil. 

DON’T put ashes in wooden boxes or barrels. Keep ashes 
away from boards. 

DON’T put hot ashes on dumbwaiter, or near wooden parti¬ 
tions. 

DON’T have piles of rubbish in the house, or cellars, or in 
workshops. 

DON’T use candles on Christmas trees. 

DON’T keep matches in anything but a closed metal box. 

DON’T tie back the door of the dumbwaiter shaft in the cellar. 

DON’T store oils, paints, grease or fats in the house. 

DON’T have greasy rags around, they catch fire by themselves. 

DON’T have lace curtains near gas brackets. 

DON’T use folding gas brackets. 

DON’T use gasoline, naphtha, or benzine in the house unless 
all windows are open and there is no open flame near. 

DON’T pour gasoline or naphtha down the drain. 

DON’T use kitchen stoves close to woodwork. 

DON’T put small gas stoves on tables unless there is a metal 
sheet underneath the burners. 

DON’T set gas stoves right up against the wall. They should 
have a metal sheet behind them. 

DON’T look for gas leaks with a lighted match or candle. 




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